Princess
by Milk and Glass
Summary: Because no one can seem to get enough of baby Katya! This is a request fic with Addison/Naomi. The other two stories dealing with Katya can be found on my profile. In this story, Addison and Naomi plan Katya's third birthday party. Oneshot.


"A birthday party?"

Addison's holding onto a squirmy Katya while Naomi picks out a shirt and a pair of pants. She straightens up and smiles. "Here, Katya, how about your pink shirt today?"

The baby frowns. "No. Want my blue shirt." She struggles out of Addison's arms and runs to the chest of drawers before both women can stop her. "Blue shirt!" she crows, digging through the drawers and coming up with a powder-blue T-shirt and grinning.

Addison grins. "Come here, you little monkey." She helps Katya get dressed and then gives her red curls a quick comb. "You're beautiful. Go meet the world," she announces, and Katya runs to the living room, where Dora the Explorer is playing on the big TV.

Naomi looks at the mess of Katya's shirt drawer and sighs. "Fun."

"Okay, what are you talking about? Why do you want to throw a birthday party for Katya?" Addison fiddles with the satin fringe on the edge of Katya's pink blanket and looks up at her lover. Naomi smiles.

"It's her third birthday, Addie. She's been with us now for seven months, and I think that it's time to celebrate. She's probably never had a birthday party before."

"Fine, but her birthday's in three days. And you expect to be able to pull a party together in three days?"

"Well, it wouldn't be anything big. Just everyone from work and Maya and maybe a few of her friends . . ."

Addison grins. "I think we're forgetting that this is _Katya's _party."

"You refuse to send her to daycare," Naomi returns, folding the last minute shirt and stuffing it back in the drawer. "She doesn't really have any friends her own age."

"Daycares are plagues of disease," pouts Addison, slumping against the rocking chair. "I don't want her to catch everything under the sun."

"And you're more comfortable knowing that she's got a nanny looking after her full-time." Naomi comes and sits beside Addison, leaning her head against the soft red hair. "It's okay. I understand that." Addison tips her face up to Naomi and kisses her, smiling against her lover's soft lips.

"Another thing we need to discuss," Naomi continues, "is the fact that she's a little big to be sleeping in a crib."

"She's a baby!" Addison pulls away from Naomi and gets up, walking over to the crib in question. "She'll fall out of a bed."

"Sweetie, she's too big. She climbs out by herself now. And wasn't it two nights ago that she climbed out in the middle of the night, bruised her shin, and woke everyone up with her screaming? And then, when you'd gotten her settled and we went back to sleep, she woke us up again by climbing out and getting into the cookies in the kitchen? She was up all night, sick to her stomach! Yeah, we lock her in her room now, but it's still unsafe to have her climbing out."

"Okay, okay." Addison frowns. "You have a point. God, that was awful."

"Well, why don't we go shopping for a toddler bed and some party stuff? I'll call everyone and see who can make it."

"Are we gonna take her with us?" Addison's eyes widen. "Oh, man, please, let's not take her with us. She's been throwing fits the last five times I've taken her to the mall. And my head still hurts from the fit she threw this morning over her Backyardigans DVD."

"Well, Maya's with Sam – it's kind of short notice to call her over to baby-sit. I suppose we could see if Cooper or Pete will sit with her."

Addison's already picking up the phone. "Perfect. It's not like they have much to do on Saturday afternoon anyway." She dials Pete's number, but gets no answer. "Well, apparently they do. Pete's out."

Naomi's dialing Cooper's number on her cell phone at the same time. "Nope. Cooper's not picking up, either."

Addison scowls. "I bet they're out together. That's so annoying. I'm always there when they need me."

"Granted, Addie, they only need you at work on a consult," Naomi reminds her, and snaps her cell phone shut. "I guess we could call Violet."

"Worth a try. She sleeps in Saturdays." Addison dials and isn't surprised to hear a sleepy voice pick up on the other end. "Hello?"

"Hey!" Addison tries to tone down her voice a bit when Violet groans.

"Addison, it's ten AM. On a Saturday. This had better be good."

"Well, Nae and I are planning a party for Katya on Monday night and we wondered if you'd look after her for a few hours while we go out and pick up some stuff for her."

"Katya?" There's a scuffling noise and then Violet comes back on the line. "Sorry, I must have misheard you, Addison. Did you just ask me to baby-sit?"

"I know, but no one else is home and she's such a brat these days when we try to take her to the mall. She likes you," Addison adds hopefully, choosing not to mention that Katya only likes Violet's glasses and her springy curls. The little girl is a little afraid of Violet's stiff manner with her.

"What about Dell?" Violet yawns, and then answers her own question. "Oh, yeah. He's gone upstate with a few friends this weekend. Addison," she whines, "Katya's not even potty-trained. I don't do diapers. And I don't do crying or really, anything to do with kids."

Addison runs a hand through her hair and sighs. "Please? We're getting her birthday present, and she's watching TV, and we won't be long – I'll change her before we go out and all you'll have to do is give her a snack."

There's a silence on the other end of the phone and then Violet heaves a gusty sigh. "Fine. But you'd better pay me well. And I am NOT doing diapers. Even if she's really, really wet."

"Fine," Addison rolls her eyes and vows not to give Katya much to drink before they go. "Thank you. Come at one."

She gets off the phone. "Okay, now where does one find toddler beds?"

Violet comes to the door and is immediately greeted by an exuberant little redhead. "Hi, Vi!"

Even Violet can't help smiling at Katya. "Hey, squirt." She allows Katya to give her a big hug and an experimental tug of her curls before she detaches her. "Where's Mommy?"

"In there," the little girl shrugs, pointing at the kitchen. "You gonna come to the mall?"

"No, I'm gonna stay here with you while your mommies go to the mall." She walks into the kitchen and smiles at Naomi and Addison, who are poring over phonebooks and arguing.

"I'm not driving all the way across town. I'm sorry, Nae. But one toddler bed seems the same as another."

"Okay, but if you want it to last, that's a good store, that's all I'm saying."

"Mama's going out 'cause why?" Katya pulls on the edge of Addison's pants and Addison lifts her up.

"We're going out because it's your birthday on Monday and we need to pick up some stuff for your party, Katya." Addison cuddles the toddler for a moment, inhaling the smell of baby shampoo and powder.

"Birthday?" Katya looks confused and Naomi explains. "You're going to be three years old on Monday."

"I have a party 'cause I am three years old?"

"That's right. You're going to be a big girl." Naomi ruffles the baby's curls. "Okay, let's get going, Addie."

Addison rises and hands the toddler to Violet, who looks a little squeamish, especially when Katya reaches for her glasses, perched on her head. "You ready, Vi?"

"She's changed?"

"Yes."

"She's fed?"

"Yes. You'll just have to give her a snack. She's starting to phase out her afternoon naps, but if she's tired, you can let her fall asleep. Just put her in her crib."

"Okay." Violet nods. "Have a good time and don't be long!" The last is uttered in an undertone and both ladies roll their eyes.

Katya watches them pick up their purses and then suddenly lets out a wail. "No! No go!"

"Aww, sweetie," Naomi kisses her cheek. "It's not going to be for long. You'll have fun with Violet and we'll be back really soon with all your party stuff."

Katya starts to sob and holds out her arms for Addison, who takes her from Violet. "Hey, missy," she murmurs. "You don't cry when Maya or Cooper baby-sits you."

"Want to come, too," Katya whimpers and buries her face in Addison's shoulder. Addie gives Violet an apologetic look.

"Sorry. She's probably a little tired."

"No!" Katya throws herself back from Addison's shoulder. "Not tired. Want to come with you!"

"No, sweetheart." Addison puts her down. "We're going to get your birthday party stuff."

"Birthday because I am three?" Katya asks in a little voice and Naomi nods. "That's right."

Violet takes Katya's hand. "We'll be okay. Just go before she cries more."

They get in the car and Naomi suddenly starts to laugh. "I wonder who's going to have it worse, Katya or Violet?"

They come home with a toddler bed that needs assembling and a bunch of pink Disney Princess party stuff. Naomi's been calling people all afternoon and they have a solid guest list of Pete, Cooper, Sam, Maya, and Dell, who picked up his cell phone and cheerfully said he'd bring the biggest stuffed animal he could find in Carmel. Naomi pulls into the driveway and turns off the car.

"Now, should we call Pete to put this together or do you think we can do it?"

Addison scoffs. "Are you kidding? I think I can put a simple toddler bed together. It's not like it's delivering TTT twins, Naomi."

Naomi rolls her eyes. "Or, you know, delivering normal twins." She gets out of the car and slides her key in the door. Immediately, without even turning the handle, the door opens and Violet stands in the threshold, looking exhausted.

"Um, next time, guys? Telling me that she's got separation anxiety would help a lot."

"Oh, Violet." Addison lugs the bed in and gives Violet a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry. Did she cry the whole time?"

"Most of it. She fell asleep about an hour ago. I left her where she was." Violet points at the couch where the toddler is curled up under her favourite pink blanket, tear-stains still visible on her cheeks.

Naomi apologizes, too. "Sorry. She's just used to Maya or to Cooper or Dell." She rummages in her purse for money and Violet shakes her head.

"It's okay; I was kidding before." She blinks tiredly and then smiles. "I even changed her diaper so you don't have to worry about that."

Addison grins and gives Violet a hug. "Thanks, sweetie."

As Violet leaves, Katya wakes up. "Mama?"

"Hi, baby girl." Addison picks her up and feels the baby melt into her, her little arms going around Addison's neck. "You weren't very good for Violet, were you?"

"I missed you." Katya sits for a moment in Addison's arms and then coughs. "Ow."

Addison feels her forehead. "Nae, do you want to get the thermometer for me?"

"She's not feeling well?" Naomi trots in from the kitchen from where she's been putting stuff away. "She can't be sick – her party's Monday!"

"Well, I don't know if she is or not. But she feels warm. Are you feeling sick, sweetie?" Addison asks Katya, who shrugs and puts her head down on her mother's shoulder again. Katya hasn't been sick the entire time she's lived with Naomi and Addison, and Addie feels her heart quicken.

"Nae? What if it's some kind of flu or something?" Addison fumbles with the thermometer, putting it gently in the baby's ear. Katya starts to cry and push it away. "No, no!"

"It's just for a minute, sweetie. Hold on." The thermometer beeps and Addison breathes a sigh of relief. "It's normal."

"She's maybe got a little chill, or she's just tired from her nap." Naomi takes Katya from Addison. "She'll be okay." She kisses Katya's cheek and the baby giggles a little. "See? She's just got to wake up."

Addison smiles ruefully as Katya struggles to get down. "Want to see Timofy." She runs and taps the TV. "Timofy, please."

Naomi puts on the TV to "Timothy Goes to School" and leaves the toddler jumping on the couch excitedly as she lugs the box to Katya's room with Addison. "If we're lucky, we can get her sleeping in this tonight."

"Aren't you being a little optimistic?" grumbles Addison as her shin gets bumped again by the sharp corner of the box. They both sit cross-legged on the carpet and take out the various pieces – and then the complicated instructions.

"Okay, I guess the first thing to do is make sure we have all the pieces." Naomi pulls out a plastic bag of small metal parts and sighs. "This is going to take forever."

"Fine!" Addison picks up her BlackBerry. "I'll call Pete." She starts to dial and then presses the END button on her phone decisively. "After we try to do this ourselves."

An hour later, Katya is pulling at Addison's sleeve. "Mama, I'm hungry."

There's some semblance of a bed in the middle of the room, but there are parts missing and unaccounted for and for the life of her, Addison can't figure out where the two extra screws are supposed to go. "Isn't this supposed to be easy to assemble?"

Naomi brushes her hair out of her eyes. "One would think." She gets up. "I'm going to Sam's. Feed her and we'll try this again."

Katya runs to the door. "I go to Sam's, too?"

"You just said you were hungry, you little monkey," Naomi teases and ruffles the soft hair. "But you can come, too."

She picks Katya up and they head across the sand as Addison starts dinner on the stove.

A half hour later, Katya's picking at spaghetti and organic meatballs as Sam and Addison stand and look at the bed in Katya's room. Sam sighs and runs a hand over his bald head. "I don't know what you women did to this, but I wouldn't put my baby to bed in it."

Naomi smacks his shoulder. "Whatever. Just help us fix it!"

He bends his head and gets down to work as Addison clears up the dishes from dinner. Katya has eaten next to nothing, and Addison sits down in the chair next to her booster seat. "Come on, sweetie. A few more bites."

"No! All done!" Katya pouts, her face a mess of spaghetti sauce, and Addison sighs. "One more bite."

"No!" Katya pushes her plastic bowl onto the floor and Addison frowns at her.

"No, Katya." She smacks her hand and the baby starts to cry.

"Mama!"

Addison is busy cleaning up the floor. "Nae!"

"What?" Naomi's voice comes from the other room and Addison sighs. "Can you come and help me, please?"

Naomi comes in and sees the messy toddler and Addison scrubbing the sauce stains before they soak into the terra cotta tile, and lifts the baby out of her booster seat. "Katya. You know better than that."

Katya simply sighs and pushes her messy face into Naomi's blouse. Nae sighs. "I think I'll give her a bath. Sam's setting up the bed – a lot faster than we did, I may add." She gives Addison a satirical smile and totes Katya off to the bathroom.

An hour later, Katya's snuggled in a fresh diaper and warm pajamas and is sucking on a sippy cup of warm water, her blanket covering her legs as she watches TV. Addison frowns. "Don't you think she's watching too much TV?"

"She's cranky. Let her." Naomi looks tired and Addison has no doubt that she looks exactly the same.

"I hope she sleeps in the bed tonight." Naomi nods as Sam comes out of Katya's bedroom.

"Well, it's all set up. My fee is $200." The women both smile and simultaneously punch his shoulder as he grins back at them and laughs. He drops a kiss on Katya's head and heads out the door. "Good luck – see you guys Monday!"

Katya yawns. "I go to bed now?"

Addison casts a startled look at the clock – it's only 7:30. "Okay, sweetie."

They brush teeth in the bathroom and then bring Katya into her room, which is set up with the bed in place of the crib. The crib itself is dismantled and leaning up against the wall, ready to take down to the crawl space when Addison and Naomi have more energy.

Katya casts one look at the room and frowns. "Where my bed?"

Naomi pats the mattress of the toddler bed. "It's right here, sweetie. This is where you're going to sleep now."

Katya, instead of bursting into tears as Addison fears she'll do, simply frowns again. "Not mine."

"It is yours, Katya. This is your new bed." Addison picks her up and lays her on the mattress. "See? It's nice and soft."

Katya's lower lip trembles as her eyes widen and she tries to take in the new experience. "Where my crib?" she asks in a trembling voice, and Addison exchanges a look with Naomi.

Naomi tries again. "You're a big girl now, sweetie. Big girls sleep in big beds. Babies sleep in cribs. Remember, you're going to be three years old?"

Katya nods slowly, her eyes never leaving Naomi's. "Birthday because I am three?"

"That's right." They kiss her and Addison dims the lights. "Good night, Katya."

Fifteen minutes later, it seems that it worked – there's no sound from Katya's room. However, when Addison peeks in, she sees no little white-pajamaed form in the toddler bed.

Instead, Katya has moved her pillow to the base of the dismantled crib and is curled up on the floor in front of it, one hand holding onto one of the legs. Her blanket covers her, but her little bare feet are sticking out, and Addison just can't help it – she starts to giggle softly.

Naomi frowns and gets up. "What's so funny?"

Addison simply moves away from the door and points at the carpeted floor, and Naomi grins. "Oh, that girl."

They move her back into her toddler bed and she doesn't wake up, but Naomi can't stop her shoulders from shaking.

"That's what you get – you run all over town trying to pick out the best bed, you break your back over dismantling it and have to call your ex-husband in, and the baby won't sleep there anyway!"

Later that night, Addison is awakened from a sound sleep for a reason that she can't quite put her finger on. She sits up in bed and takes in Naomi, asleep beside her; the sound of the sea in the background and the quiet baby monitor. Shrugging, she lies back down, turning onto her side and closing her eyes.

Then, the baby monitor erupts into life. "Mama!" Katya cries, and then breaks into a fit of harsh coughing. Addison is instantly awake and Naomi sits bolt upright in bed.

"Shit." Addison gets up and runs into the next room, where the toddler is sitting up in bed and crying, rubbing at her eyes. When Addison takes her into her arms and lays a hand on her forehead, it's burning up.

Naomi is there with a cup of water and Katya drinks thirstily, only to throw it up all over her pajamas as she breaks into another coughing fit.

"Okay, okay, sweetie." Addison smooths the red curls back and starts to strip Katya, who starts to shiver as Addison unzips her pajamas. The thermometer reads 101 degrees Fahrenheit.

"So this is why you were so cranky," Naomi whispers and brings over a fresh diaper. Together, they change her pajamas and her diaper and then Addison brings her downstairs. When Naomi flips the kitchen light, Katya cringes and buries her face in Addison's shoulder.

"I knew there was something wrong," Addison mutters as she rummages, one-handed, through the medicine cabinet to find the Infant's Tylenol. Katya sighs and then coughs again, all over Addison's shoulder. Addison, frowning, raises the baby to listen to her chest.

"Nae, can you find my stethoscope? I've got one in the closet somewhere."

"Hurts," Katya whimpers, and Addison feeds her a dose of the medicine. "This will make it better, baby."

Naomi comes down with the scope and Addison unzips Katya's pajamas while trying to warm the diaphragm in her hands. Katya still cries as Addison places it on her chest. "Come on, sweetie, shhh." She listens to Katya's breathing sounds and then nearly jumps away in shock as the full reverberation of the toddler's cough sounds through the scope.

"I am not comfortable with this," Addison shakes her head as she re-zips the pajamas. "She sounds pretty junky."

"She's got some phlegm that needs to come out, Addie. It's just a cold." Naomi digs out the humidifier from under the kitchen sink. "We'll set it up in her room with a little bit of Vicks in it and she'll breathe a little better."

Katya turns her face into Addison's shoulder and sighs, whimpering a little. "Hurts, Mama."

"I know, baby."

Ten hours later, the ER lights are hurting Addison's eyes as her baby breathes through an oxygen mask in the bed beside her. "It was just croup?"

"Well, not just croup. She has a pretty nasty case of bronchitis, too." Charlotte King smiles. "But I don't think it was as serious as you originally thought. I'm a little surprised at you, Montgomery."

"You try having a sick kid, and then tell me I'm overreacting," snaps Addison, but there's no real bite behind it and Charlotte pats her shoulder.

"I don't blame you." She runs a hand over the sleeping toddler's curls. "She's pretty precious."

Nae wrinkles her nose at Charlotte's pronunciation of precious, but she smiles too. And Addison suddenly rushes out with a question.

"I know you're not really close to Katya, but . . . do you want to come to her birthday party? It's on Monday . . ." She trails off as Charlotte's face closes. "You don't have to if you don't want to," she finishes quickly.

Charlotte's face sets, but she nods. "Maybe another time. I'd like to get to know her better."

Naomi leans across the bed to talk to Addison. "What was that?"

Addison looks at Katya, and then looks back at Naomi. "I'm trying to include her. Because she's always alone but she always helps me, with whatever I need."

Naomi grimaces, but she nods.

"I get that."

Katya claps her hands and then politely covers her mouth as she coughs, casting a sideways glance at Naomi, who frowns and then smiles. "Birthday because I'm three years old!"

"That's right, sweetie," Dell smooths back Katya's curls and grins. "You're the princess today."

"Princess!" She throws her sticky hands around Dell's neck and to his credit, he doesn't wince. Instead, he picks her up and holds her close, because Dell and Katya have a special relationship and after Cooper, he's by far her favourite person from Oceanside.

"It's time to blow out the candles!" Addison calls as she brings in the Big Bird cake and Katya squeals. "Chocolate!"

"We have to blow out the candles first, Katya," says Cooper, taking her from Dell and sitting her in her booster seat. He leans over and points at the flickering flames, which cast their shadows over her little face.

Katya's face glows as they sing happy birthday to her, and then she closes her eyes and with a wet gushing of air, blows out the candles and sprays the whole cake. Violet looks green and Pete's face twists, but they all applaud for her anyway. Before Addison can cut a slice for the birthday girl, though, she shoves both hands into the cake and grins.

"Chocolate! 'Cause I am a princess!"

Addison shakes her head. "Nice one, Dell."

He grins and shrugs his shoulders. "It's true. Isn't she your princess?"

Addison clasps hands with Naomi and they watch Katya eat her cake and squeal at the unexpected treat.

"Yeah, Dell, she is."


End file.
